July 20, 2014

IF IT'S OVER $3 A POUND YOU WERE ROBBED:

Last year, when Nicholas Coffee's prices went up minimally -- no more than 10 cents -- employee Seth Denne noticed that customers who typically order black coffee were the most observant of the price change.

"They were like 'What? That's not what I usually pay,' " he said.

This wouldn't be all too surprising to Los Angeles-based clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula, whose study last year found that coffee drinkers tend to be simple and resistant to change.

Her online survey, coordinated in conjunction with "The Dr. Oz Show," tracked the correlation between coffee order and personality type, and found that there may be a connection between the two.

Latte drinkers tend to be people-pleasers, and those who ordered frozen or blended drinks tend to be trendsetters and sometimes reckless. Instant coffee drinkers are laid back and sometimes procrastinators, and those who ordered decaf or specially ordered drinks err on the perfectionist side and often make healthy choices. [...]

"People who order several different orders are just trying to show off and look knowledgeable or look hip," Mr. Inzana said. "Black coffee drinkers don't care what people think of them."

Although the study was more "playful," according to Ms. Durvasula, there may be some validity in her findings.

"We're a lot more pattered than we think. Even in the smallest decision, our personality drives that a bit," she said. "I don't know if anything defines anyone, but you get insight into peoples' habits."

Buying coffee instead of making it yourself is a function of moral lassitude.